AFS-USA Reviews

The 4 weeks I spent at Costa Rica were amazing. I especially enjoyed my stay in palmares since we got to live with a host family. I felt like I had a new sister. We still keep in contact on facebook. The work we did was pretty hard especially at the volcano park on the 4th week but that just made it all the more rewarding. I really enjoyed my time with the volunteer group, as well as the individual time when we got to explore and work in Costa Rica. I hope that if you choose this particular experience you can also enjoy it as much as I did.

My host sisters and her friends had heard about this huge beach party with a famous DJ that was happening on a Saturday night. We spent two days going shopping for outfits, arranging transportation, gathering more people to come, and getting excited for the big night. Finally on the day of, we get to the beach, and the party in fact was grand. There were intense lights, beautiful lighted gazebos, loud music, and the stars were shining gorgeously. We danced and walked around for about 15 minutes and then the music randomly goes off. As everyone waits for the music to come back on with confused and angered looks, one of our friends comes over and informs us that we should leave; the DJ didn't have a license to play at the beach so the party was over. My host sisters and their friends let their tempers flare for a bit, and then we promptly gathered our stuff to headed back home. So much for a hyped up 15-minute beach party!

While I told the Intercultura staff that I would be staying in Venice with my friend Electra for a week or so, I secretly took the train in the opposite direction to begin my backpacking trip where I stayed in hostels or on trains for the night and walked around ancient cities sightseeing for the next two weeks during the last month of my exchange and finished it off with the world Expo in Milan with my fellow exchange students.

My summer in Thailand was spent in school with my host sister and around Bangkok and the surrounding areas with my host family. A big part of what I saw outside of school was temples. My family, particularly my host mother was religious and we visited a multitude of different temples. From Wat Pra Kaew, a huge temple in Bangkok near the Grand Palace to a tiny shack of a temple on a hillside in the country. I very much enjoyed seeing the variety of places of worship and learning about and participating in different Buddhist traditions and practices.

The cliché that study abroad is not a year in a life, but a life in a year holds so much truth. Between school work and family and friends and weekend travels my life in Spain was so exhaustingly wonderful. I was welcomed and loved by mere strangers. Like that time I didn't have exact change for the last bus fare back to my host family town. A complete stranger so me struggling and completely saved me that night. Or when 20 of us exchange students were waiting in a bus station and this old lady taught us tongue twisters. And all of those strangers on the street who took our pictures. I love all of my memories from Spain.
To begin with, AFS had the history and the reputation that encouraged my parents to let their 16 year old travel thousands of miles away for 10 months. AFS was there every step of the way with monthly orientation meetings where everything from homesickness to family troubles was discussed. The real reason I loved the orientations was the other exchange students. To be able to talk and make connections with people who understand exactly what you're going through is invaluable.
Take the leap. Becoming comfortable with uncertainty and saying yes will change everything. And AFS volunteers who have studied abroad themselves understand what it's like and they care so much.
I wouldn't trade the friendships, family, and new home I found while abroad for anything.

If you're thinking of going overseas during your high school career, but don't want to leave for an academic year, you should definitely consider doing the AFS summer language program. Easily the best experience of my life, in one of my favorite countries. I went to the south of France, and not only did my French drastically improve, but I had the best summer with some great international friends.

This was the best experience of my life. I loved going to school even if it was from 7am to 4:30 pm almost everyday. My host family and compañeros were the best and everyone I met was very helpful and kind. They tolerated my inability to speak Spanish and included me during recess and family events all the time. The social scene during my trip was a little dull but I was only there for 6 weeks and it was in the middle of their exam schedule at school so they did not have much time to have fun. Plus, school was very long. I love Costa Rican food too. It's muy rico. Life is completely pura vida. I wish I'd done a year exchange!!

If you're considering it, do it. You won't regret it! I went with minimal French skills and returned more or less fluent. AFS has great support volunteers who were always available whenever assistance was required. I had an incredible experience with my host family and at school; I learned a lot about myself. Words cannot do it justice: you will have the experience of a lifetime!

First day of school was a blur of stares, smiles, giggles and so many selfies. For once in my life I felt known and important. Everyone there were so interested in who I was and where I came from. There wasn't a point in the day where I was alone - including going to the bathroom. I remember my first time riding on back of the motorcycle with my friends, going 40 mph, the road clear in front of us and rice fields surrounding us. I never felt so at peace. Also being at an Open Zoo was a wonderful experience, I got to pet, feed and watch animals as they would interact in the wild. My time this summer was something I'll always remember and continuously try to recreate.

While abroad with my program, I began having some recurring health issues and was promptly sent to a larger clinic in the capital city, San Jose. When talking with my doctor, I discovered that not only was he a former exchange student, but on his program, he lived about 20 minutes away from my hometown in the USA! Crazy how small the world is.